GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) | Re: Although only one example of the Neolithic henges, circular monuments

Although only one example of the Neolithic henges, circular monuments consisting of earthen embankments and an interior ditch, scattered throughout the British Isles, Stonehenge has uniquely captured the imagination of researchers for the last four-hundred years. While many early interpretations of the site, located in the southern central plains region of England, have been disproven over the years, the site still generates tremendous interest among archaeologists who hope to go down in history as having solved the riddle of Stonehenge. Finally, based on the latest archaeological evidence, it seems that a consensus is emerging among scholars. Over the last few years, evidence has accumulated from numerous significant finds in the area around Stonehenge; the surrounding plain is littered with hints, just below the ground, that have pointed the way to the apparent purpose of Stonehenge. Recent radiocarbon dating of charred wood, shards of pottery, and cremated human remains located near the giant stones, or megaliths, suggest that the Salisbury plain that is home to Stonehenge had previously been associated with burial mounds for as long as 4000 years prior to the initial building of Stonehenge. Currently, thinking is centered around the idea that Stonehenge played an integral role in the cultural and religious practices of the prehistoric occupants of the area related to the burial of their dead, and that this practice was a continuation of the preexisting ritual burials that were common to the site. Additionally, evidence points to a Woodhenge located a few miles away, and immediately adjacent to the river Avon. Experts who excavated at and around Stonehenge for nearly a decade, now believe that a funeral procession would begin at sunrise as the body arrived at Woodhenge by boat. The funerary march would follow the arc of the sun westward toward Stonehenge, and culminate in the final rituals and ceremonies among the rings of megaliths at sunset. Further archaeological evidence suggests that this movement from wood to stone henges, following the path of the sun, coincided with Neolithic beliefs associating wood with life and stone with death.

The passage suggests that Woodhenge

A. washed away in the river
B. was a major port on the Avon
C. included embankments in a circular pattern
D. inspired the association of wood with life
E. was located adjoining the river Avon



The author mentions several henges throughout the British Isles in order to

A. emphasize how uncommon the intense focus on Stonehenge is
B. point out that henges exclusively occur in the British Isles
C. suggest that research at Stonehenge is the key to understanding henges in general
D. explain how ordinary Stonehenge really is within the context of Neolithic henge
E. suggest why so many theories about Stonehenge have been disproved